Denise Kingston

The Improving Maths Pedagogy and Practice (IMPP) scale is an innovative way of assessing and improving the quality and effectiveness of mathematics teaching in the first few years of primary or elementary schooling. It is informed by the evidence base of practice shown to improve children’s outcomes and extensive professional development delivered by the authors. The IMPP supports both the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of teaching mathematics to young children, encourages positive dispositions towards maths, and addresses issues such as maths anxiety and disengagement. It focuses on teaching developmentally appropriate maths with understanding, using ‘maths talk’, child-friendly contexts, concrete, pictorial and abstract representations to their best effect. This unique measurement scale supports:the teaching of early mathematics in primary/elementary schools, using the evidence base of what works best to support fluency and masteryteachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge of mathematics, including comprehensive sets of practical examplesquality improvement processes and self-assessment of the mathematics taught in classroomschildren learning mathematics with understanding, which also supports their engagement, enjoyment and achievementsresearchers, auditors and/or inspectors looking for a measure of mathematical quality and effectiveness in the classroomThe IMPP will help teachers and school leadership successfully develop their children’s mathematical understanding, reasoning and problem solving. Educators can use the scale for self-evaluation of their own practice, so they can build on what they already do well and improve where required. Leadership teams and mentors can use it to audit quality, support positive discussions and set effective development targets. The scale is particularly useful when supporting children living with disadvantage, and those with additional learning needs and maths anxiety.

The Early Childhood Quality Rating Scale – Emergent Curriculum (ECQRS–EC) is designed to measure the quality of support for literacy, mathematics, and science in pre-school settings.Although different curricular frameworks are used around the world, there is increasing agreement that emerging academic skills should be supported by a playful pedagogy. The ECQRS–EC substantially updates the ECERS–E, which was the first observational scale to focus directly on the development of emergent academic skills. This evidence-based tool also includes a subscale dedicated to diversity and inclusion to help educators support gender and cultural differences in children aged 3–6 years old who are developing at different rates.This revised quality rating scale recognises the important role of the adult in providing children with high-quality interactions and can be used for research, teacher self-evaluation, and programme improvement, audit and regulation.